CR

Dypsis scandens

Declining

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Dypsis scandens faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive deforestation and agricultural conversion of Madagascar's remaining lowland rainforests. The species' extremely limited range makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, while collection pressure for the international palm trade has further reduced wild populations. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns affecting the humid forest conditions this palm requires.

Threat summary

Habitat

This climbing palm is endemic to the humid lowland rainforests of eastern Madagascar, where it grows as an understory species in primary and secondary forest. It requires the consistent moisture and filtered light conditions found in intact forest ecosystems below 800 meters elevation.

Forest· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recoveryPolicies and regulations

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Dypsis scandens classified as Critically Endangered?
Dypsis scandens is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Dypsis scandens faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive deforestation and agricultural conversion of Madagascar's remaining lowland rainforests. The species' extremely limited range makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, while collection pressure for the international palm trade has further reduced wild populations. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns affecting the humid forest conditions this palm requires.
Where does Dypsis scandens live?
Dypsis scandens occurs in Madagascar. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Dypsis scandens?
The main threats to Dypsis scandens are 2.1, 2.1.1, 5.3, and 5.4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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